


The Ones We Leave Behind

by PrintDust



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Coma, F/M, Gen, Hospital, Other, Pre-Canon, Pre-ZA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 18:07:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/929499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrintDust/pseuds/PrintDust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Shane had come over he'd tried to talk Mom out of goin' to the hospital, but she'd cried and he'd agreed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ones We Leave Behind

Shane and his mom were in the hall talking again. Mom hadn't been able to get hold of Grandpa and she was worrying a lot - he could tell because she was being real quiet. They'd closed down the school that morning. Just shut the doors and sent everyone home. They were closing the hospitals too, because of the stories coming out of New York and down the East coast. Somethin' about people going crazy and eating each other. His Mom wouldn't let him listen to any of the broadcasts; she said it was nonsense, until apparently someone caught it in Marysville and then there was a case in Flemingsburg. That's when Mom had turned off the T.V. and called Shane to take them to the hospital to check on Dad.

When Shane had come over he'd tried to talk Mom out of goin' to the hospital, but she'd cried and he'd agreed.

Carl could see why he hadn't wanted them to come. The place was a zoo, like his Mom liked to say about the local mall on a Saturday. There were people rushin' around and yellin' about the morgue and the cafeteria.

Carl looked down at his Dad and poked his shoulder. "Come on, Dad," he jabbed him a second time. "You gotta wake up. Mom's crying and there's people eating each other…" He was about to shake him when the door opened again and his Mom came in all red eyed with Shane behind her.

"Come on, baby. We gotta go," she came over to him and took his hand.

Carl looked between her and Shane, then back down at his Dad and shook his head. He couldn't believe that she was even thinking about leaving him there. "I'm not going without him."

His Mom crouched down in front of him and turned him to face her, her hands closed around his shoulders. "They're flying him to Atlanta. We're gonna meet him there. Shane will take us," she reached up to cup his cheek and it made him feel like a baby. "It's going to be fine."

Carl shook his head. She was lying. He could tell 'cause she was shaking a little bit and she was still crying. She used the side of the bed to push herself to her feet and took his hand again. He planted his feet firmly when she tugged on him.

"Carl," she said impatiently. "We have to go. Now."

He shook his head and she pulled harder. He tried to free his hand from hers and to his embarrassment a sob escaped from his throat. He growled at her to cover it up, digging his heels into the tiles.

"Baby," she cried. "Please, stop." She had stopped pulling on him and she crouched down, her face buried in her shaking hands.  
Carl looked at Shane who was looking at the floor. He felt ashamed for making her cry and embarrassed that Shane couldn't even look at him. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his Mom, his head falling to rest on her shoulder. "It's okay," he patted her back to comfort her. "Don't cry, Mom. You're right; everything will be fine."

She hugged him back and wiped the tears off her face. He stepped back so she could stand and then moved to the side when she passed him to lean over his Dad. She mumbled something to him that Carl couldn't understand because she was being quiet and still crying.

He looked at Shane when she kissed him, to give them some privacy. The man who he had always considered to be kind of an uncle was still looking at the ground, probably giving them privacy too.

"Lori," Shane cleared his throat. "You and Carl get goin' now."

His mom nodded and stepped back from the bed, her hand still resting on his Dad's chest. She used the back of her other hand to wipe her eyes and then took a deep breath and turned to him. She took his hand again and they made their way down the hall.


End file.
